Modular container and retaining means

ABSTRACT

993,321. Clips and clamps. NORTH AMERICAN AVIATION Inc. Oct. 27, 1961 [Nov. 9, 1960], No. 38500/61. Headings E2A and E2B. [Also in Division B8] Container sections 11 and 12, Fig. 1, are secured in abutting relationship by means of protuberances 16 and 20 on each of the said sections which are then embraced by spring wire retainers 26. A container may be built up of sections 41, 42, 43, 44 as shown in Fig. 6 and completed with a lid as per the section 11 of Fig. 1. The rim of the section may be provided with location pins 10a, Fig. 3, and may be provided with grooves 33, Fig. 4, filled with a sealing ring 34 of resilient material. The container sections 11, 12 may be recessed as at 31 to facilitate stacking. U.S.A. Specification 3,082,897 is referred to.

Aug. 20, 1963 I HERDERING I 3,101,154

MODULAR CONTAINER AND RETAINING MEANS I v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 9, 1960 INVENTOR. JOHN D .7 HERDERING AGENT Aug. 20, 1963 .1. D HERDERiNG 0 5 MODULAR CONTAINER AND RETAININGMEANS Filed Nov. 9, 1960 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOHN D, HERDERING AGENT United States Patent This invention relates to containers and more particularly to certain new and useful improvements in structural container elements.

Heretcfore containers having sufiicient strength to be reusable have been structurally complicated and costly. Where strength was sufiicient, (the means nor attaching the container portions has usually been clifficult to assemble and disassemble, or sub-assembly portions have been destructible in disassembly.

It has also been the practice to produce a separate coutainer for each size of unit intended to be packaged. Such packaging procedures are costly and time consuming.

Therezfiore, it is an object of thepresent invention to produce packaging means whereby a high strength reusable unit is provided.

Another object is to provide a unit having a high structural integrity while being simple of construction.

Yet another object is to provide a container configuration .wherein [the various portions thereof are capable of simple and rapid assembly and disassembly.

Still another object is to provide structural packaging units capable of modular assembly whereby the internal capacity or the ultimately assembled container may be varied.

Other objects of invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a typical embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross section taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 to illustrate the preferred embodiment of the retainer cleat of this invention in assembly with the retainer;

FIG. 2a is a perspective of a typical wire clamp usable in present invention;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1, showing a typical detent means;

FIG. 4 is a retainer cleat embodiment including sealing means on its periphery;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a cleat of the present invention adapted to a standard container and lid assembly; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective illustrating the manner in which modular container panels may be joined by utilizing the present invention.

The structure of the present invention is particularly adaptable for use with a continuous wire clamp such as disclosed in a patent application, Serial No. 18,449, entitled, Clip Fastener, filed March 29, 1960 and assigned to a comon assignee with the present invention.

The present invention, as typically illustrated in FIG. 1, encompasses a container assembly indicated as 10. The assembly includes a pair of container portions or halves-11 and 12. It has been found that for ease of manufacture and assembly and tar maintaining the packaging assembly cost at a minimum, it is most desirable to manufacture halves 11 and 12 as identical units, and preferably from a commercially available plastic mate rial.

Each of container halves 11 and 12 is usually (fabricated as an integral unit in a one step process. This may be accomplished through conventionally known and 7 shape.

ice

practiced techniques, for example, matched die procedure or injection molding. Structure which may be manuttactured as identical portions by such one step process, but which is, nevertheless, capable of ultimate assembly into a complete unit contributes materially to ultimate utility and cost reduction.

Container half 12 includes a body13 of any desirable shape capable of containing the items to be packaged within the assembly. While not mandatory, it is preterred that a flange 14 be attached to and extending away from the periphery of an open side of body 13. This flange is adapted to abut its counterpart upon the container halt to which it is mated. A plurality of struc tural retainer forms, sometimes referred to as protuberances or cleats, are integrally attached to the various sides of body 13 and/or flange 14 so as to jut therefrom. These protuberances, or cleats, are the structural elements about which retaining clamps are eventually secured in order that the container halves might be retained in their assembled positions.

Although the specific manner in which the cleats extend from the container body and/ or flange may vary with design criteria, it is preferred that they be constructed so that when a pair of cleats are mated upon opposite container halves, each cleat having an essentially triangular cross sectional shape, their combined cross sectional configuration assumes a partial rectangular It has been found that such overall rectangular shape provides adequate structural integrity and is of sutficient length to facilitate ample retaining clamp flexibility for ease of clamp installation and removal.

The cleat rectangle usually includes two complete sides, two partial sides and three included angles. This facilitates installation of the retainer clip over the. cleats in an eflicient mechanical relationship. Such a configuration is specifically illustrated in FIG. 2.

In facilitating manufacture of this cleat configuration, it has been found desirable and expedient to pass the parting line separating the container halves through one corner or the essentially rectangular mated cleat configuration such that the included corners of the individual cleats point in essentially opposite directions and away from the container half parting line. cleat 16 constructed integrally with container half 11. The cleat includes a first side 17, a second re-entrant side 18 and a corner 19 therebetween. Container half 12 similarly includes a cleat 21 having a first side 21, a

second re-entrant side 22, andan enclosed corner 23.

It will be noted that corners 19 and 23 are oppositely directed and pointed away from a separating line 24- dividing the container halves. Separating line 24 passes through a corner 25 of the mated cleats at the extremities of cleat sides 18 and 22. A retaining means, such as wire clip 26, having a spring factor inherent therein, is positioned around the mated cleats in essentially the manner illustrated. A perspective of a typical wire clip is illustrated in FIG. 2a. This spring clip draws corners 19 and 23 toward one another, causing them to be secured in their mated position.

Side 17 of cleat 16 integrally joins a side wall of container half 11 and side 21 of cleat 2d integrally joins a side wall of container half 12. Similarly cleat ends 27 and 28 are integrally donned with their respective cleat sides and container flanges. The angles at which the cleat sides approach one another is not critical. However, it has been found that angles approximateing degrees are highly acceptable for efiiciency of assembly, strength, and manufacturing ease. The angle at which the cleat project-s from the container half is dependent upon particular container half design considerations.

It is to be noted that when the described rectangular cleat assembly is utilized, it is preferable that the cleat FIG. 2 shows a upon one container half is larger than the cleat upon the opposite container half. Hence, in typical configurations such as FIG. 1 wherein the container halves are manufiactured as identical units, each container half includes a first pair of cleats l6 and a second pair 29, like cleats being located upon opposite sides of the container half. Upon assembly, cleats 16 on one container half abut cleats 2% on the mating container half and retainers 26 are clamped thereover. The specific number of cleats of each configuration utilized is non-critical so long asieach container half includes cleats shaped and located so as to properly mate with those upon the other container half.

While the described par-ting line position is preferable, i-t'may pass through one of the cleat sides. It is important, however, that it be so located that the retainer means exerts a clamping force tending to pull the scalable surfaces toward one another and/ or lock them in position.

A detent means is sometimes provided to register the relative positions and prevent relative slippage of container portions during assembly. FIGS. -1 and 3 illustrate a typically usable detent means. Flange 14 of container half 12 includes holes 29 and pins 30 adapted to mate with pins 30a and holes 29a, respectively, of the flange of container half 11. Thus, pins 3th and 30a extend from their inner flange faces in a direction opposite the extension direction of the respective container bodies and are insertable into holes 29 and 29a. Additionally, the detent locations prevent improper assembly since the detent pins being located upon flange side with one cleat portion and the holes upon an adjacent side.

The container halves are sometimes constructed to include means for preventing relative container-to-container slippage when piled one upon the other. As illustrated in FIG. 1, container half 12 includes a geometrically shaped indented portion 31 and a similarly shaped pair of raised portions 32. This facilitates engagement of like portions upon other containers, thereby preventing undue relative movement while stacked The exact geometrical pattern utilized is of little significance so long asthe pattern upon one container is engageable with that upon its counterpart container and capable of retaining the containers against relative slippage in all lateral directions.

FIG. 4 shows cleat surfaces which contain sealing means. More specifically, it illustrates a cleat configuration wherein a groove 33 is provided in each cleat contact surface. The grooves are matched along their length and are adapted to accept a rubber O-ri-ng, such as ring 34-, or equivalent sealing means, for sealing the container against the passage of materials through the container portion joints. The specific groove and/or seal configuration utilized is varied according to requirements of particular container structure and packaged matter.

, Cleats having substantially the described characteristics may also be adapted to retain a cover upon a standard container in essentially the manner illustrated in FIG. '5. Therein, astandar-d container 35 is filed with a lid 36. Cleats 37 and 38 upon container 35 and lid 36, respectively, are mated and a retainer 39 is fitted thereover to retain the lid and container in their assembled positions. The protuberances, or cleats, illustrated in FIG. 2 are representative of those usable in this respect. However, specific structural variations capable of accomplishing the same utilitarian function are considered to be Within the scope of this invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a modular container assembly utilizing a plurality of container segments constructed in accordance with the present invention. The overall assembly is indicated as 40, modular panel sections being indicated as 41, 42 and $3. A cover or base member 44- having a bottom 44a (shown in cutaway) is illustrated as being assembled to the lower extremity of modular panel 43. A similar member (not shown) is adapted as a cover for panel 41. Each modular panel includes a plurality of cleats 45 extending from its periphery, all cleats preferably being identical. Cleats 45 are included on both the upper and the lower extremities of the modular panels in under that the panels may be stacked as illustrated in FIG. 6. Hence, each protuberance is aligned with a similar cleat upon an adjacent panel. Retainer clips 46 are then forced over the mated cleats for retaining the panel posit-ions.

Cleats 45 are shown as being solid tor manufacturing simplicity and strength. The external shape of the protuberances also varies from that of the above-described cleats, the representative included angle between the protuberance sides being acute and that angle formed between the joined sides of two abutted cleats being obtuse. However, variations of these angles may be made as desired. The oppositely directed points of abutted cleats (FIG. 6) are vertically aligned when the assembly is in an upright position. A flange 47 is provided upon the panel peripheries Where necessary for purposes of rigidity and increasing bearing surface between panels, particularly when the panel walls are relatively thin. Retainer shapes are varied to match the cleats.

Through the utilization of the modular assembly structure, panels of varying heights and numbers may be incorporated into the single container unit representatively illustrated in :FIG. 6 facilitating acceptance therein of items of varying sizes or amounts. Cover 44 should be of a depth, indicated by the dimension x, greater than the height of a cleat plus the width of a retainer clip. Hence, when the cover is placed upon a flat surface, the retainer clip will not contact that surface. This prevents the possibility of container movement causing the removal of the retainer clips from the cleats result-ant from the clips being dragged across the surface.

The attachment structure described is equally as adaptable to a variety of structural elements as to the above containers. For example, cleats constructed in accordance with this invention may be provided to retain a series of electrical panels or similar structure in their relative positions.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only, and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spirit and scope of this invention being limited only by the terms of the .appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a pair of structural elements adapted to be secured together, a protuberance upon and integral with each said element each said protuberance having an abuttable surface, said protuberances adapted to abut one another and be secured in their abutting relationship by a common retainer means, each said protuberance jutting from the structural element of which it is a part and including a corner extending in a direction substantially normal to said abutta'ble surface, said corner having an edge substantially parallel to said abuttable surface, a cross section through each said protuberance being essentially triangular, said protuberances when abutted defining a substantially rectangular form with said corners thereof being substantially 0ppositely directed and over which the retainer means is secured to retain said structural elements in their relative positions.

2. A container assembly comprising a pair of identical container halves, each said container half including a body portion having a marginal flange with an abuttable surface, a plurality of cleats upon said flange and including a corner extending in a direction opposite said flange abuttable surface, each said cleat having a first side extending outward at :an angle and away from said flange and a re-entrant second side attached substantially normal to said first side so as to define said corner with said first side and terminating substantially at an edge of said flange, said cleat abutting, mating with, and secured to a similar =cleat upon the other of said pair of container halves, mutually engageable detent means upon said flanges to register the relative positions of said container halves and a spring wire retainer disposed around said mated cleats and over said corners thereof in substantial conformity with the external contour of said mated cleats.

3. The container assembly or claim 2 wherein each said container half includes a first and a second pair of said cleats, said cleats of each said first pair being located diametrically opposite one another upon said container and approximately 90 removed from the positions of said second pair, said second pair also being diametrically opposite one another, said first pair of cleats upon one said container half being abuttable against said second pair of cleats upon the other said container half, one of said cleat pairs having said first sides shorter and said second sides longer than comparable sides upon the other of said cleat pairs.

4. In combination, a top closure member, a bottom closure member and an intermediate open-ended member between said top and bottom members to form a container, at least one protuberance upon and integral with each of said members, each of said protuberances having an abuttable surface, said protuberances adapted to abut one another and be secured in their abutting relationship by a common retainer means, each said protuberance jutting from the member of Which it is .a part and including a corner extending in a direction substantially normal to said abuttable surface, said corner having an edge substantially parallel to said abuttable surface, said pro-tuberances when abutted defining a substantially rectangular form With said corners thereof being substantially oppositely directed and over Which the retainer means is secured to retain said members in their relative positions.

5. In combination, a plurality of container sections, a plurality of cleat means upon each said section, each of said cleat means having an abuttable surface and walls extending from said surface and forming a corner spaced therefrom, each of said cleat means further comprising an upstanding, hollow protuberance having first and second sloping exterior Walls terminating in said corner, said cleat means on one of said sections being in juxtaposition to said cleat means on another of said sections, and means comprising spring wire retainers disposed over said juxtaposed cleat means and encompassing said corners to forcibly retain said sections in fixed abutting relationship and wherein said retainers have bent Wire portions substantially conforming to the slope of said walls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 75 8,899 Dahman May 3, 1904 1,450,687 Kunin Apr. 3, 1923 1,549,878 Immel Aug. 18, 1925 2,410,323 Wellman Oct. 29, 1946 2,939,603 Young June 7, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 177,028 Great Britain Mar. 23, 1922 1,036,757 Germany Aug. 14, 1958 

2. A CONTAINER ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A PAIR OF IDENTICAL CONTAINER HALVES, EACH SAID CONTAINER HALF INCLUDING A BODY PORTION HAVING A MARGINAL FLANGE WITH AN ABUTTABLE SURFACE, A PLURALITY OF CLEATS UPON SAID FLANGE AND INCLUDING A CORNER EXTENDING IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE SAID FLANGE ABUTTABLE SURFACE, EACH SAID CLEAT HAVING A FIRST SIDE EXTENDING OUTWARD AT AN ANGLE AND AWAY FROM SAID FLANGE AND RE-ENTRANT SECOND SIDE ATTACHED SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO SAID FIRST SIDE SO AS TO DEFINE SAID CORNER WITH SAID FIRST SIDE AND TERMINATING SUBSTANTIALLY AT AN EDGE OF SAID FLANGE, SAID CLEAT ABUTTING, MATING WITH, AND SECURED 